Fly Tying question

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Sean Leask

Guest
I have been tying flies for about two years now and I am struggling with one technique, the head of the fly. I have yet to tie one that has a head on it that pleases me. Can any one suggest something? I have tried a multitude of books but they all assume the head is something that they don’t need to explain.
 
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Mark Frame

Guest
is your problem that the head is too big?
are you trying to acheive a nicy shiny finish
is your head covering the eye
if you elaborate on your problem i'll try and help
 
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Sean Leask

Guest
Head covering the eye, and when I apply varnish or head cement it usually soaks into the surrounding hackle. I have tried leaving myself more room but that never seems to leave me with a balanced look to the fly. Never sure how much tread to put on and how much space it will take.
 
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Ron Clay

Guest
Generally I put on as little as possible to form the head.

I depends if you are tying flies to catch fish or tying flies to win competitions. Those photos you see in the trout mags showing perfectly formed heads with bright sparkling varnish are normally taken before the varnish sets and are misleading.

I normally finish my fly with a 4 turn whip finish done by hand. Then I apply varnish and that's it.

The trout do not worry about the shape of the head.
 
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Alan Roe

Guest
If you wax your thread properly and tye a neat firn four turn whip finish you shouldn't need to use varnish especially on trout flies I haven't used varnish on trout flies for the last twenty years other than on large lures wherin a varnished head is a part of the pattern as you are going to paint eyes over it anyway...So just wax your thread properly and leave enough room at the head end to tye the head properly
 
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Mark Frame

Guest
hope thats answered your question sorry i couldn't get back before the others but take stock practise makes perfect
 
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